A rare female execution is set to take place on Tue., Jan. 29. According to Global Post, Kimberly McCarthy will be the first woman in over two years to die by lethal injection in the U.S. after she was found guilty of murder. Since 1976 (the year capital punishment was reinstated), only 12 female inmates have been put to death in such a manner.
"McCarthy, 51, was convicted of entering the Lancaster, Texas home of her 71-year-old neighbor, Dorothy Booth, on July 21, 1997, under the pretense of borrowing some sugar. She then stabbed Booth five times, according to the Texas attorney general's summary of the case.She also cut off Booth's left ring finger in order to take her diamond ring, which she later pawned," Global Post reported.
The rare female execution comes more than 10 years after McCarthy was convicted of murder. She has been on "death row" as most inmates are before being being executed. It is widely believed that McCarthy also murdered two elderly women. Many feel as through she will pay the ultimate price for her crimes tomorrow.
McCarthy will be the second person executed in the U.S. in 2013. Last year there were 43 inmates that met death in such a way (statistics via Global Post). She certainly will not be the last woman to be executed in the United States, but she will is undoubtedly in a small group.
The last rare female execution was on Sept. 23, 2010. Teresa Lewis was given a lethal injection on that day in Virginia.
© Effie Orfanides 2013
Comments